It is well known to provide an electronic device like a mobile phone with an exchangeable cover, in order to protect the device or to give a desired appearance to the device.
A desired decoration can be realized for example by coloring the outer surface of the cover. Alternatively; a desired decoration can be realized with a preformed customized in-molding (CIM) sheet onto which a desired decoration is printed and which is fitted into a corresponding transparent mold in the cover.
It has also been proposed to employ covers with active decorations, which change their appearance according to some conditions or according to provided signals.
In document EP 1 017 209 A2, for instance, a cover is presented which includes liquid crystals changing their color with changes of temperature. Thereby, selected parts of the cover can be caused to change their color at predetermined temperatures.
For achieving an active decoration, it is moreover possible to integrate light emitting diodes (LEDs) into the cover, which LEDs are switched on and off according to signals provided by a micro-controller provided in the cover. The light provided by switched on LEDs is then visible to a user through the outer surface of the cover.
Instead of LEDs, also an electro-luminance decoration can be employed, in which electro-luminance patterns are controlled by a micro-controller of the cover. Covers with electro-luminance decoration can be manufactured like current CIM sheet decoration covers, i.e. electro-luminance patterns are printed on a film, which is preformed like current CIM sheets, and fitted into a corresponding mould of the cover.